Howard from Middletown, NJ has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since December of 2022. The generator was commissioned in February of 2023: a Generac Guardian rated 21 kW on natural gas, outdoors beside the meter, with a 200-amp service disconnect, a smart management module and surge protection. The load calculation asked for 15 kW across 2,700 square feet, so the machine that went in has a comfortable margin over the minimum – useful on a house with a sump pump, since a generator that is not straining is one that will still be starting cleanly in ten years. Two refrigerators, a washer, a gas dryer and a dishwasher round out what has to keep running. The generator is supported by annual maintenance, an extended parts-and-labor warranty, and monitoring we manage.
Project Facts
- Location
- Middletown, NJ
- Services
- Standby Generator Installation, Standby Generator Service
- Client since
- December 2022
- Manufacturer
- Generac Model # 7209
- Rated output
- 24 kW LP / 21 kW NG
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Home sized for
- 2,700 sq ft
- Electrical service
- 200 amp
- Transfer switch
- 200 amp
- Load management
- Managed Whole House
Standby generator questions from Middletown homeowners
Why is an eighteen-inch wall clearance allowed?
Because it comes from the manufacturer's tested and listed installation configuration. Applicable units are listed and labelled for installation as close as eighteen inches to a structure, subject to openings and local requirements. New Jersey adopts the National Electrical Code, which requires listed equipment to be installed in accordance with the instructions attached to that listing -- so the eighteen inches is a tested dimension, not a rule of thumb.
What is a standby generator?
A permanently installed automatic backup-power system that supplies electricity to the house when utility power is unavailable. Unlike a portable, it is permanently connected to the home's electrical system through transfer equipment and normally runs on natural gas or liquid propane. When the power fails it starts on its own, carries the connected loads, and hands the house back to the utility once service returns.
Can a generator be installed in a flood zone in Middletown?
Yes, but the generator and its electrical equipment may need to be elevated or otherwise protected. The installation is evaluated against the property's FEMA flood zone, its Base Flood Elevation and Design Flood Elevation, the municipal flood ordinance, any applicable freeboard, and NJDEP requirements where they apply. It is a property-by-property assessment rather than a rule of thumb.